Single use aerosol tire sealant and inflator kits are generally well known and are useful for emergency or prompt repair of a puncture wound in a pneumatic tire. Generally, such kits comprise a conventional aerosol can containing the particular composition which is introduced into the cavity of the pneumatic tire through the valve stem. Typically, a length of flexible tubing connects a valve on the can with a threaded nozzle and connector on the remote end for attachment to and activation of the valve stem. Alternately, the can is supplied with a pedestal valve for activation and dispensing of the contents without flexible tubing. A propellant within the can forces the composition through the opened valve and into the tire, thereby serving to inflate the tire.
Generally, tire sealant and inflator kits provide quick but primarily temporary assistance to motorists experiencing a punctured tire on the highway or other inconvenient location, removed from accessibility to necessary service facilities or equipment. Alternatively, it is often unsafe or too time consuming to remove the tire and replace it with a spare tire at the location of the disabled automobile.
Many prior art tire sealer and inflator systems utilize water-based sealants which are less effective in cold climatic conditions.
These and other prior art compositions have utilized flammable hydrocarbon propellants and/or chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants known to contribute to depletion of the earth's ozone layer. Still other compositions such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,242 to Lehman utilizes a multi-part resin system wherein a tackifying and hardening resin are used to modify the resin that is present in a common solvent. The Lehman patent utilizes a hydrochloroflurocarbon (HCFC) propellant which contributes less to the depletion of the earth's ozone layer than chlorofluorocarbons.
Due to the deficiencies and/or limitations of the prior art, Applicants' novel sealant and inflator system is subsequently presented.